The progress of peatland afforestation in Northern Ireland.

Abstract

In this paper it is proposed to outline the progress made in peat afforestation to date in Northern Ireland. Current methods will be described and a description of future trends given. The present ultimate target of the Ministry is to have approximately 150,000 acres in production by the year 2,000 A.D. The present reserve of plantable forest land is around 40,000 acres of which approximately 35,000 acres are on peat. Current policy is to plant about one-eighth of this reserve annually and the present planting programme is approximately 5,000 acres. It is estimated that, of this figure, 4,000 acres are on peat. Future planting programmes will depend on the rate of acquisition of land and will vary proportionately with it. To date an area of 58,700 acres has been planted, 25,000 of which is on deep peat. It was not until 1949 that large scale attempts at afforesting deep peat were made. It is true that some small peat areas were planted prior to this date but most were on shallow peat. 1949 is, therefore, regarded as the beginning of the mechanized deep peat afforestation era in Northern Ireland. [...]